Sir, – I suspect that most car users are not particularly worried about what makes their vehicles run, provided they do the tasks they were bought for.

The biggest worry behind most is the means of refuelling, and until significant investment is put into electricity infrastructure and generation, or hydrogen and similar transportable fuels, not much will change.

Consumers can only buy what is made and can be used, and the arbitrary removal of personal transport will have enormous economic and social implications.

Transferring the funds for the limited HS2 project or indeed Trident renewal to this more useful infrastructure would be a worthwhile start, but what would replace government income from the taxes, duties and fines directly coming from the motorist, and what would be the effect on private car parking banditry if there was a major shift away from private cars?

Nick Cole.
Balmacron Farmhouse,
Meigle.

Insignificant UK emissions

Sir, – New petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2040 to improve air quality and drivers will only be able to buy electric cars.

There are 2.6 million vehicles on our roads in Scotland and in 2016 only 132 electric vehicles were sold.

There are 36.7 million vehicles in the UK and 251 million in Europe.

The total in the world is more than 1.2 billion and forecasts say this will be two billion by 2035.

In developing countries, the majority will be “dirty” diesel engines.

The UK has 1.3%, and Scotland 0.13%, of global emissions and has no influence over other countries’ ever-growing emissions.

Do the UK and Scottish governments have some cunning plan to erect a plastic dome over the UK to stop the nasty emissions from other countries blowing in and polluting our ultra-clean air?

Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.

Charity must start at home

Sir, – We are continually being told this country is in the grip of austerity and there is a growing need for foodbanks.

If this is the case, why are we allowing more and more refugees and immigrants into the country?

Surely our elected government’s responsibility is to look after its own citizens first.

Refugees are given priority for housing and food and as far as I am aware, no refugees have been seen attending foodbanks.

Is it not about time the government started looking at charity beginning at home and looking after the people who pay its wages?

Bob Duncan.
110 Caesar Avenue,
Carnoustie.

Woeful state of Perth roads

Sir, – I have given the Tories two-and-a-half months to bed in since the local elections but they have so far failed miserably to repair the diabolical roads in Perth.

They are too numerous to mention but I would like to highlight a few which are as follows: Charlotte Street especially between Blackfriars Street and Rose Terrace; Dunkeld Road at the junction of St Catherine’s Road; Craigie Cross; County Place and finally the drain in Glover Street at the junction of Needless Road.

This drain has been sinking for years and is a potential suspension breaker.

I am not quite sure who the roads convener is but they need to get their act together quickly.

DS Stewart.
8L Tulloch Road,
Perth.

Take tough line on talks with EU

Sir, – In our negotiations with EU representatives, our own emissaries should realise that they are dealing with people who are entrenched and obsessed more by doctrine than any sense of pragmatism.

Thus, our UK negotiators must be firm and resolute in their intentions to make Britain an independent country, able to create and maintain its own laws, and to make its own way in the world, unhampered and unencumbered by the will of others.

The EU’s intransigence must surely be seen as an intrinsic dread of a loss of power, influence and control, together with a fear that it could easily disintegrate when deprived of our monies. We are the second-largest net contributor to its budget.

David L Thomson.
24 Laurence Park,
Kinglassie.

SNP has proved doubters wrong

Sir, – It was good to read the piece by Rod Selbie which echoed my long-held understanding of the fact that Scotland is denied the necessary fiscal levers to run a country by its masters at Westminster.

This concept is beyond the ken of the pro-union brigade who continually attack the Scottish Government’s growth performance, only to end up with red faces.

In recent weeks they all joined the media experts to tell us all about the country teetering on the brink of a recession, the day before the United Kingdom Government’s official statistics people revealed the true position.

This confirmed that the Scottish economy had grown four times as fast as the UK equivalent in the latest quarter’s evaluation.

Allan A MacDougall.
37 Forth Park,
Bridge of Allan.

Damaging cuts to education

Sir, – Having read of the decision made by the newly-elected council in Perth and Kinross to make cuts to teaching posts in music, art, physical education and drama, I wish to register my total disgust.

Replacing excellent specialists with non-specialists who have little knowledge of the extra subject they will be teaching is nonsensical.

Speaking from a purely musical point of view, how can someone with no expertise in, say, vocal or instrumental teaching be capable of doing that job?

These cuts are thoughtless and reek of Thatcherism.

Are we going back to the 1980s?

What a bunch of Philistines we have in charge of Perth and Kinross Council.